Solid fuel power systems

ABSTRACT

The subject invention “Solid Fuel Power Systems” is for the purpose of generating heat and power for very many practical applications by use of exothermal chemical energy from the oxidation of the element aluminum. In addition, there is hydrogen-oxygen exothermal energy from reactions of hydrogen subsequently produced as a by-product. The energy produced from these reactions is equivalent to the energy content of gasoline. Aluminum is easily available in large quantities. It is economical to use, and is an environmentally friendly fuel. The concepts in this invention promise to make solid aluminum fuel the universal fuel of the future.

BACKGROUND Description of Prior Art

The most common solid fuels used for heat and power are wood, coal, and peat. The solid metals, uranium and plutonium, are used in the nuclear fission process to produce energy. No other metals are commonly used for power production.

The subject patent application is for the use of the element aluminum, as a source of energy for power production.

DRAWING FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a cross section view of a cylinder and piston assembly that can be used to power an engine using solid or molten aluminum fuel.

FIG. 2 is a cross section view of an energy chamber in which aluminum fuel is used as a source for commercial heat and power.

FIG. 3 is a cross section schematic drawing that shows molten aluminum sprayed on to the surface of a water reservoir.

FIG. 4 is a cross section representation of a circular array of molten aluminum jets on a Fuel Spray Ring.

FIG. 5 is similar to FIG. 4. Jets that spray aluminum powder alternate around the Nozzle Ring with jets that spray ordinary kerosene-like jet fuel.

FIG. 6 illustrates a jet turbine configuration that employs a Jet Fuel Nozzle Ring to spray aluminum powder and ordinary jet fuel into a turbojet engine combustion chamber.

REFERENCE NUMERALS IN FIGURES

-   1. Combustion cylinder casing -   2. Piston -   3. Piston ring -   4. Jet for molten aluminum -   5. Molten aluminum spray -   6. Jet for water -   7. Water spray -   8. Exhaust valve -   9. Energy production chamber -   10. Outlet vent -   11. Drain -   12. Water inlet -   13. Overflow drain -   14. Water reservoir -   15. Spray ring support -   16. Nozzle for ordinary jet fuel -   17. Ordinary jet fuel spray -   18. Nozzle for aluminum powder mixture -   19. Aluminum powder mixture spray -   20. Compressor blades -   21. Jet nozzle ring assembly -   22. Turbojet turbine and shaft assembly -   23. Turbojet engine housing -   24. Turbojet combustion chamber

DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION

The subject invention “Solid Fuel Power Systems” is for the use of the metallic element aluminum as a fuel for the generation of heat and useful power in different applications.

FIG. 1 illustrates a combustion cylinder casing 1 with an internal piston 2 and piston rings 3. A jet for molten aluminum 4 and a jet for water 6 are located in the head of combustion cylinder casing 1. Molten aluminum spray 5 and water spray 7 are emitted from the respective jets. Exhaust valves 8 are also located in the head of combustion cylinder casing 1.

FIG. 2 shows energy production chamber 9 equipped with jets for molten aluminum 4 and jets for water 6, that emit molten aluminum spray 5 and water spray 6 into energy production chamber 9. Energy production chamber 9 is equipped with outlet vent 10 and drain 11.

FIG. 3 is similar to FIG. 2 except that at the bottom of energy production chamber 9 there is located water reservoir 14. Jets for molten aluminum 4 emit molten aluminum spray 5 on to, or into, water reservoir 14. Water inlet 12 supplies water to water reservoir 14, and excess water goes out through overflow drain 13. Outlet vent 10 provides a means of avoiding excess pressure in energy production chamber 9.

FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 illustrate designs for aluminum fuel spray ring support 15 that is used in FIG. 6 Turbojet Engine Configuration. Jets for molten aluminum 4 are mounted in a circular array on spray ring support 15 to provide multiple sources of molten aluminum spray 5. In FIG. 5, nozzles for aluminum powder mixture 18, and nozzles for ordinary jet fuel 16, alternate around the circular array mounted on spray ring support 15. The respective ordinary jet fuel spray 17 and aluminum powder mixture spray 19 are illustrated in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6.

FIG. 6 shows a Turbojet Engine Configuration with jet nozzle ring assembly 21 encompassing nozzles for ordinary jet fuel 16 and nozzles for aluminum powder mixture 18 in an alternating circular array as illustrated in FIG. 5. Turbojet engine housing 23 encases jet nozzle ring assembly 21, turbojet combustion chamber 24, compressor blades 20, and turbojet turbine and shaft assembly 22.

Operation of Invention

The purpose of the subject invention “Solid Fuel Power Systems” is to generate economical heat and power for many different practical applications.

The subject invention power systems are based on the energy released from the enthalpies of formation of aluminum oxide, Al₂O₃, and water, H₂O. These enthalpies of formation are −400.50 kcal/mol and −57.80 kcal/mol respectively. Both of these reactions are called exothermic because they give off energy. It is important to see the chemical equations to understand that hydrogen is generated in the Al₂O₃ reaction. This hydrogen then reacts with oxygen to form water and release a corresponding amount of energy also. The chemical equations are: 2Al+3H₂O→Al₂O₃+6H−400.5 kcal/mol 6H+3O→3H₂O−173.4 kcal/mol

The total amount of energy released from these two reactions is 573.9 kcal resulting from the oxidation of about 54 grams, or 0.12 pounds of aluminum. Calculations show that the energy from the above reactions is about 44.5 MJ/kg for aluminum, and this is about the same as the energy content of gasoline.

Aluminum is very attractive as a fuel for the production of heat and power. This patent application is for the practical applications of aluminum as a fuel. Aluminum was created by nova nuclear reactions, and did not go through an organic phase as did the creation of fossil fuels, which include oil deposits. Aluminum is the most abundant metallic element on earth, and constitutes 8.1% of the earth's crust. Aluminum deposits are widely distributed on earth and, therefor, are not likely to lead to the political stress for which concentrated oil field deposits have been responsible. There is no doubt that the oil deposits will be depleted in the near future. The large and widely distributed deposits of aluminum can supply our fuel requirements until the safe Neu2 nuclear fuels are available.

Aluminum fuel for the production of heat and power is a clean fuel. Unlike our fossil fuels such as oil and coal, aluminum fuel is environmental friendly. Aluminum fuel does not threaten the ozone layer. Aluminum has a low melting point of 660° centigrade or 1221° Fahrenheit, and that makes it ideal for the fuel power systems in this patent application.

In this patent application for “Solid Fuel Power Systems” it is possible that molten aluminum, or powdered aluminum, can be used interchangeably for the applications cited, where the operating temperature in the application is above the melting temperature of aluminum. To produce heat and power, the chemical reaction with aluminum to form Al₂O₃ is dependent on complete oxidation of all the aluminum fuel in the particular application. A very clean metallic surface of aluminum is required. For this purpose molten aluminum spray is used. The same effect is achieved with a spray of aluminum powder into a chamber where the temperature is above the melting point of aluminum. Oxygen for formation of Al₂O₃ can be obtained from air, water, alcohol, any suitable oxidizing substance, or a mixture of these.

FIG. 1 illustrates an aluminum fuel application for a power a piston reciprocating engine. Molten aluminum spray, or aluminum powder spray, is mixed with water spray to generate heat. The resulting steam pressure forces the piston to move in the cylinder to perform work. The engine is a two-cycle reciprocating engine. Exhaust valves are located in the head of the cylinder.

FIG. 2 shows an example of multiple molten aluminum sprays, or powdered aluminum sprays, with water sprays to generate heat in an energy chamber. The heat can be removed by cooling coils, or steam pressure can be allowed to build up for use in a steam turbine.

FIG. 3 illustrates a water boiler application using molten or powdered aluminum fuel sprayed on to the surface of water in a reservoir. Heat can be removed by cooling coils, or high temperature and high-pressure steam can be generated for use in a steam turbine. FIGS. 4, 5, and 6 constitute a family of figures to illustrate the use of fuel spray rings to generate heat and power for any application, but most specifically for operating a gas turbine with aluminum fuel.

All of the above application concepts come together in FIG. 6 where a turbojet engine configuration is shown. The air compressor is powered by a turbine that in turn is powered by heat and pressure generated in the combustion chamber. The heat comes from the oxidation of powdered aluminum, and also by conventional jet fuel.

In the gas turbine, oxygen for oxidizing molten aluminum spray is obtained from the compressed air flow. Also, in the very high temperature environment of the combustion chamber, aluminum powder fuel can be melted and oxidized to generate heat. FIG. 5 shows a jet fuel nozzle ring arrangement where ordinary jet fuel, or kerosene, is sprayed into a high temperature and high-pressure air flow combustion chamber along with molten or powdered aluminum fuel to generate heat. The ordinary jet fuel spray can be discontinued when the combustion chamber temperature is above the melting point of aluminum. At that time, all of the heat and power produced in the combustion chamber comes from the aluminum fuel and the hydrogen produced in the chemical reaction. 

1. Fuel power systems that generate heat and power by virtue of exothermal chemical reactions resulting from the oxidation of metallic aluminum by water or water vapor, or other oxidation medium.
 2. The fuel power systems of claim 1 that utilize mixing of molten aluminum spray and water spray, or water vapor spray, to promote complete oxidation of metallic aluminum for the production of heat and power.
 3. The fuel power systems of claim 1 that utilize mixing of aluminum powder spray with water, or water vapor spray, for the production of heat and power when the mixing temperature is above the melting point of aluminum to assure complete oxidation of the metallic aluminum.
 4. The fuel power systems of claim 1 that utilize molten aluminum spray, or powdered aluminum spray when the mixing temperature is above the melting point of aluminum, in an environment of atmospheric air, or compressed air, to promote complete oxidation of the metallic aluminum for the production of heat and power.
 5. The fuel systems of claim 1 that produce hydrogen as an end product of the aluminum oxidation reaction and for which this hydrogen subsequently combines with oxygen to further generate exothermic chemical energy for the production of heat and power.
 6. The fuel systems of claim 1 that, in addition to producing exothermic energy from the oxidation of aluminum, utilize water or water vapor, to create steam that can be used as a medium to do work, or as a medium to transport energy.
 7. The fuel systems of claim 1 that can utilize a circular array of fuel nozzles to selectively mix fuel sprays of molten aluminum, water or water vapor, aluminum powder, or ordinary jet fuel in a combustion chamber to generate heat and power.
 8. The fuel systems of claim 1 that spray molten aluminum onto a reservoir of water to generate heat and power.
 9. The fuel systems of claim 1 that utilize an electric current, or other means, to keep a pool of molten aluminum in the molten state while the exposed surface of the molten aluminum is in contact with water or water vapor to generate heat and power by virtue of the exothermic chemical energy released by the oxidation of aluminum.
 10. A turbojet engine which has an air compressor that forces air into a combustion chamber where exothermal chemical reactions of molten aluminum spray or powdered aluminum spray, mixed with water spray or water vapor spray, combine to oxidize the aluminum and produce exothermal chemical energy to generate heat and power.
 11. The turbojet engine of claim 10 that achieves a combustion chamber temperature above the melting point of aluminum using ordinary jet fuel, and then can operate using only aluminum powder fuel. Oxidation of the aluminum can take place with only air as the oxidant, or with air together water spray or water vapor spray.
 12. A reciprocating engine that has a piston powered by energy from the exothermal chemical energy resulting from oxidation of molten aluminum or powdered aluminum spray mixed with water or water vapor spray. The resulting increase in air pressure and steam pressure forces the piston along the inside of a cylinder to do work. The engine is a two-cycle engine with exhaust valves. 